My mouth opens, then closes again. No words would come out, even if I tried to speak.

God.

Oh, no.

I can’t believe I lost the company this way. How? Where did I go wrong?

Blaming it on Jake is useless. He might have stolen from us, but I’m the one who trusted him when I shouldn’t have.

“You manipulated the bank director, didn’t you?” Ethan speaks for the first time since Jonathan came in. His expression has lost the triumph it gained when we shook hands earlier. “You must’ve switched banks for one of your subsidiaries that has a significant net profit to said bank to make the director agree to sell the shares.”

Jonathan smirks with pure sadism. “One step ahead of you, as usual.”

“I wouldn’t light fireworks yet, Jonathan.”

“Always a pleasure to crush you, Ethan. Needless to say, your investment in H&H is declined, effective immediately.”

Ethan steps in front of Jonathan, and a clash of gazes erupts between them. It’s like two Titans gearing up for a fight.

“This isn’t over.”

“It is,” Jonathan says in that high and mighty tone. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, I need to have a meeting with my employees.”

Did he just call us his freaking employees?

“We’ll meet again, Layla. Aurora.” Ethan returns to us and shakes Layla’s hand, then offers his to me. I take it, even though I’m dazed and unable to keep up with what has just occurred.

Agnus nods as he and his CEO leave the office with the same confidence they walked in with. Jonathan follows them with a gaze so dark, it’s like he could set them on fire by merely looking at them.

Layla and I are left in the presence of Jonathan and whomever he’s selected to bring here with him.

It’s a tactic to show the power he possesses and how easily he can turn people to his side if he chooses to do so.

It’s not pretentiousness, it’s a carefully laid plan. Jonathan is the type of man who showcases his battalion before a war to shoot fear into his enemies’ hearts. That way, he can win with minimum effort.

His gaze falls back on me, and I instinctively gulp. It takes everything in me not to tuck Layla under my arm and run far away from his vicinity.

Part of my defence methods is my ability to recognise threats — or at least sense them. It’s what saved me eleven years ago, and it’s what’s screaming at me to save myself now.

Jonathan is a dangerous man, if not the most fatal of all.

Only, his weapons aren’t knives or guns. It’s his ability to strip you bare with the sheer power he’s spent years cultivating and magnifying to impossible heights.

The fact that I bluntly went against his order has turned me into a problem he needs to solve.

Or eradicate.

I now recognise that he held back the day of Aiden’s wedding. Because the Jonathan standing in front of me has come prepared for an all-out war.

And I’m that war.

“Harris. Wait for me in the car.” He’s speaking to his employee, but his unblinking, unnerving attention never breaks off me.

Harris nods and motions at all the other men, who follow him out without a word.

“You may leave too, Ms Hussaini.”

“I will not. Aurora and I are partners. If you have any business talk, we’ll both be present to hear it.” Layla interlaces her arm with mine. There’s a slight tremble in it, and I know how rattled she must feel right now. Jonathan isn’t the type of man to be taken lightly.

Still, her loyalty and how she refuses to leave me alone warms my heart to the point of explosion.

However, I don’t want her to face Jonathan’s wrath. I’m the one who went against his order, and if anyone needs to stand in front of a god while he issues his punishment, it’ll just be me.

Layla has done nothing to deserve this. Besides, I have somewhat of a familial tie with him. She doesn’t. He wouldn’t hesitate before he smashes her under his shoe.

“You can go, Lay.” I pat her hand.

“No.” She shakes her head in that stubborn way.

“Listen to your partner, Ms Hussaini,” Jonathan chimes in.

Layla ignores him and focuses on me. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I can take care of him.”

“Text me if anything happens,” she leans in to whisper so only I can hear her. “If he hurts you in any way, I’m going to kick him in that straight nose of his, maybe bring it down to earth a little. Remember how I sent that thug who tried to rob us to the A&E? Next up will be Jonathan King’s nose.”

I smile, nodding as she finally releases me. Before leaving, she stops in front of Jonathan. She’s so tiny next to him, it would be comical under different circumstances.

“I have a black belt in karate and two of my brothers are captains in the British Army,” she tells him ever so casually.

“Lay…” I shake my head. The last thing she wants to do is threaten him or put herself on his radar.

Jonathan raises a brow. “Is that a threat, Ms Hussaini?”

“It’s a piece of information, freely provided.” Behind his back, she motions at me to text her, then leaves.

As the door closes behind her with a loud click, I feel the gravity of the situation before Jonathan even says a word.

I gulp down all the emotions rising to the surface and hold eye contact. I’ve never found a problem doing that with anyone in the past.

Now is different.

Everything is. Starting with the man who’s standing in the middle of my office like he owns it — which, in a way, he does.

Maintaining eye contact with Jonathan is like being ripped to pieces and not having the ability to do anything about it. He feeds off my energy in the most savage way, and he has no plans to return it.

“What do you want, Jonathan?”

“I told you what I want, and you purposefully went against it. Very bold.”

I swallow as he rounds my desk and lowers himself onto my chair with utter confidence as if it’s always been his.

My legs are barely keeping me standing, so I don’t attempt to move from my position. “Are you going to leave me alone now?”

He laughs, the sound hollow and frightening. “I’ll take that as a joke.”

“You got what you wanted. Ethan is already out.”

“True, but I did it, not you. Why should you be rewarded for it?”

“So, what? You’ll just own my company?”

“My company, but I digress.”

“You can’t do that.”

“It’s already done.” He places his elbows on the surface of the desk and leans over, forming a steeple at his chin. “Unless you’re willing to offer payment.”

I perk up, hope blossoming in my chest like fireworks. “I am. I’ll pay anything.”

“Anything? Careful, wild one. That’s a strong word to use.”

“I meant within reason, and only if you allow us to pay in instalments.”

“Instalments. I like that idea.”

“Right.” I round the sofa to stand in front of my desk, the one he so bluntly made his. “You can even keep some of your shares as a form of investment if you like.”

“Is that so?”